


Desperation

by Tatergattler



Category: SoulWorker (Video Game)
Genre: I know next to nothing, Miriam totally gives off mom vibes, yet here I AM
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-13
Updated: 2019-04-13
Packaged: 2020-01-12 17:12:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18450998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tatergattler/pseuds/Tatergattler
Summary: Things weigh on Stella's heart.Things that shouldn't weigh on a 15 year old's heart.





	Desperation

Miriam found her sitting atop that stationary trolley, staring up at the large rip in space. The Void.

It's has been a few days since Stella's arrival, and it didn't take an expert to realize that despite the 15 year old Soul Worker's bravado and eagerness to help, she was overwhelmed with several things this world shot at her.

Half of her life was spent in the Void after all. Stella hadn't existed in this world for 15 whole years, and as expected, a lot has changed. Too much, most would say.

The world she once knew was in ruins. Monsters lurked around every corner, people needed help, people were dying.

People were desperate.

That was the reason why the young Soul Worker took up arms against the evil that plagued the world she once called her home.

Stella had always been cheerful, innocent, energetic, as all children really should be.

But here she was, subdued, her face painfully neutral as she stared up at the massive presence no further than a mile away from Rocco Town.

It took a little bit of work, but Miriam managed to climb up to the child and sat down next to her, her gaze lingering on the girl next to her in concern before looking up at the sky, rather than the massive hole that tore the world from paradise.

Nothing was said for a minute. Then two.

Then finally...

"11 people..." Stella murmured softly. Miriam's relaxed expression turned sour. "11 people died for me..."

The older woman's eyes closed as she thought back to the rescue operation that resulted with Stella's arrival.

11 members of the SFL did die that day, during the operation. Though, by now, Miriam only found herself only being able to remember a few. Being a part of the medical team does that to people.

"...Don't worry about them. They knew the risks of the mission." Miriam replied finally, looking down at the girl next to her, only to see Stella looking back up at her, expression mixed between guilt and anger.

"Risks or no, they're still dead! ...They're not coming back... They had families..." The girl's eyes began to tear up, her composure breaking. "And even after all of that, even after I went from being a Soul Forcer to Soul Worker, people..." She took a shaky sigh. "People still died in front of me... If... If only I was stronger!!" She started sobbing now, but her struggled breathing did nothing to stop her from talking. "If only I was just a bit faster! I could have saved them! But now they're dead! Dead forever! I... I can't bring them back, Miriam..!!"

Miriam said nothing as she gently pulled Stella into a soft, almost motherly hug. The girl's cries, though they were muffled now, only grew louder as she gripped Miriam's sleeves like her life depended on it.

The older woman couldn't help but feel guilty as well. She, along with the small unit of SFL forces garrisoned here at Rocco, had become desperate enough to beseech an actual, literal, 15 year old child to fight monsters of death, of destruction.

It all sat oh, so wrong with her, but given that this 15 year old was the only thing standing between Rocco Town, and utter doom, she could only hope that whatever holy power above understood their desperation, and granted them mercy.

Right now though, Miriam focused on calming the bawling child in her arms, rocking to and fro slowly, humming a soft random tune. The cries eventually lessened, thankfully, into small hiccups. Seeing Stella cry was something Miriam did not want to watch for long. A kid like her should be having fun playing in fields with her friends rather than fighting a life or death battle against the harbingers of doom.

"...Why..." Stella whimpered into Miriam's chest, still gripping her clothes. "Why couldn't I save them..?"

"...I don't know." Miriam responded after a moment of silence. "But you've been doing nothing but your best out there, Stella, and that's all we can ask of you. I can only ask that you might be able to forgive us in return."

The small girl looked up.

"Forgive... You..?" She asked between hiccups. "Why...? I want to help... I want to help save people. I can handle it all... I might come back with a bruise or two, and it may have been scary from time to time, but... I know I can handle it..."

"You being able to handle certain things does not excuse us deploying you to the frontlines, no matter the reason."

Stella only frowned more.

"But... If you don't, more people will die... I want to save them..."

Miriam sighed. Children are children after all.

"We will, Stella..." She rose a hand to gently run it through Stella's silky soft hair. "We will. I promise. Then after all of that, I'll buy you enough biscuits to last you a whole year."

Stella only hummed in reply, already comfortable in Miriam's lap, and not too soon after, had dozed off.

Noticing this, Miriam sighed softly, again, looking up at the Void above.

"You're a great girl, Stella. An amazing person. But I'm sorry... We'll have to rely on you a bit more until we're finally safe."

Stella mumbled something in her sleep that was unrecognizable, cueing Miriam to look down at the sleeping child in her lap. 

"...Thank you, Stella."

**Author's Note:**

> I've only made it to Candus, but Stella is a precious daughter that must be protected at all costs.
> 
> First Soul Worker fic..? Really..?...Hhuh...


End file.
